Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Corona Virus Preventive Measures among Students

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The coronavirus belongs to a family of viruses that may cause various symptoms such as pneumonia, fever, breathing difficulty, and lung infection (Wuhanmunicipalhealth, 2020). These viruses are common in animals worldwide, but very few cases have been known to affect humans. The World Health Organization (WHO) used the term 2019 novel coronavirus to refer to a coronavirus that affected the lower respiratory tract of patients with pneumonia in Wuhan, China on 29 December 2019 (Li et al., 2020) (CDC, 2020) (WHO, 2020). The WHO announced that the official name of the 2019 novel coronavirus is coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (WHO, 2020). The current reference name for the virus is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was reported that a cluster of patients with pneumonia of unknown cause was linked to a local Huanan South China Seafood Market in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 (Zhu et al., 2020).
In response to the outbreak, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) dispatched a rapid response team to accompany health authorities of Hubei province and Wuhan city to conduct epidemiological and etiological investigations. WHO confirmed that the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic was associated with the Huanan South China Seafood Marketplace, but no specific animal association was identified (WHO, 2020). Scientists immediately started to research the source of the new coronavirus, and the first genome of COVID-19 was published by the research team led by Prof. Yong-Zhen Zhang, on 10 January 2020 (Novel, 2020). Within 1 month, this virus spread quickly throughout China during the Chinese New Year – a period when there is a high level of human mobility among Chinese people. Although it is still too early to predict susceptible populations, early patterns have shown a trend similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses. Susceptibility seems to be associated with age, biological sex, and other health conditions (Fehr et al., 2020). COVID-19 has now been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO (WHO, 2020).
The COVID‑19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) (WHO 2020). The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (WHO 2020). The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and a pandemic on 11 March. As of 17 September 2020, more than 29.7 million cases have been reported in 188 countries and territories, resulting in more than 938,000 deaths; more than 20.2 million people have recovered (CSSE, 2020). 28 January, World Health Organization listed Nigeria among other 13 African countries identified as high-risk for the spread of the virus (Ezigbo et al., 2020).
This research aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of Newgate students on Corona viruses and its control measures.

1.2 Statement of the Problem
As of 17 September 2020, more than 29.7 million cases have been reported in 188 countries and territories, resulting in more than 938,000 deaths; more than 20.2 million people have recovered (CSSE, 2020). World Health Organization listed Nigeria among other 13 African countries identified as high-risk for the spread of the virus (Ezigbo et al., 2020).

1.3. Aim of the study
To assess the Awareness of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Corona Virus Preventive Measures among Students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.

1.4 Objectives of the study
1. To assess the knowledge of students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures.
2. To ascertain the attitude of students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures.
3. To ascertain the practices students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures.

1.5 Research questions
1. What is the knowledge of students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures?
2. What is the attitude of students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures?
3. What are the practices students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures?

1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will help to provide baseline information for evaluating the effectiveness of preventive strategies of Corona Virus infection among Students of Newgate College of Health Technology and as well as guide the introduction of better methods of prevention.

1.7 Limitation of the Study
This study will only cover the knowledge, attitude and practice of students of Newgate College of Health Technology Minna on the Corona Virus Preventive Measures.